Homecoming
by passionately-curious
Summary: Peeta and Gale come home from their first year of college to celebrate homecoming. Peeta isn't expecting to spend the weekend with Gale's cousin, Katniss, the girl he's had a crush on for years. She's always seen him as a friend but sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder
1. Chapter 1

Peeta pulls up to the small Seam house and feels his eyebrows rise into his hairline. He still can't believe Gale's mother allowed - no - demanded that he stay with them. He sighs, ready to tell Hazelle that he'll just crash at his own parents' house, even though he'd rather make the four hour drive back to campus and miss his high school's homecoming football game than stay under that roof. But as soon as he decides that's what he'll do, Gale comes bounding out of the house to welcome him.

"Peet! Dude, I'm glad you're here. I'm dying in this house," Gale jokes, embracing his college roommate and high school friend in a bear-hug. "Seriously. The kids are bouncing off the fucking walls. I need someone my age to talk to."

"Aww, thanks Gale," Peeta answers, resting his hand over his heart and pouting. "Good to know what you keep me around for."

Gale laughs and waits for Peeta to swing his backpack and duffel bag over each shoulder. "Come on, man. I'll show you to your room. And don't listen to Rory, you don't have to bunk with Vick."

The two walk in and are immediately accosted by Gale's younger siblings. Posey, who's just four years old, screams and runs at Peeta. He has just enough time to drop his bags and open his arms to scoop the little girl up. "Peet-ah!" She laughs, wrapping her skinny arms around his neck. "I missed you!"

Peeta laughs. In high school, he spent more time in the Hawthorne house than in his own and was around Posey all her life. He and Gale have been best friends for years, so by default, Peeta is close to the rest of the clan. Gale jokes that Posey usually asks about him rather than Gale when he calls home. "Hi there, little flower."

"Did you get my drawring?" She asks, snuggling her head against his neck as he shifts her to his hip.

"I did. It was very pretty."

Gale laughs from his new-found spot on the couch. "It's hanging up on his wall, Pos."

Her little brown eyes grow wide as saucers and her mouth drops. "Really?"

Peeta nods with a smile. "Sure is. It's my favorite one so far." He leans in close to Posey's ear and in a whisper just loud enough for the room to hear, he tells her, "Gale's just jealous that I get your best drawings."

Posey giggles and sticks her tongue out at her older brother who feigns hurt and collapses against Rory, who falls against Vick in a dramatic domino effect. Peeta can't help but feel envious of the easy nature these siblings show one another. He loves his own brothers, of course, but they aren't nearly as affectionate and playful with one another.

"Posey?" Hazelle, Gale's mother, calls from the kitchen. "Young lady, where are you? You were supposed to be putting away your cray-" she pauses as she enters the room and sees Peeta. "Peeta! You made it!" She wipes her hands on her apron and crosses the room to embrace him, squashing Posey between their bodies. Hazelle kisses his cheek and pats the other. "How was the drive?"

Peeta nods and sets the squirming Posey down. She runs into the kitchen, presumably to finish picking up her crayons like her mother wants. "It was good. A little construction on I-70 but nothing too major."

"Good. I'm so glad you decided to stay with us." Hazelle never questioned it when Peeta would stay at her house three nights a week during the school year. It only took one black eye on the blonde boy for her to understand. She knows Peeta is safer at college than he ever was at home, and while the thought often made her pity him, she's also glad he finally is out of that house for good. "You know you're always welcome, dear."

Peeta flushes at her tone. He knows she knows. He assumes Gale told her long ago, but he's thankful she never brought it up to his own parents. "Thanks."

She pats his cheek again. "You want to go put your stuff away? You'll be bunking with Gale, if that's alright?"

"Just like I'm used to," he answers, shooting a glance at Gale who was now teaching his brothers the wrestling moves Peeta used to teach him. "Thank you, Hazelle. Really. I ... uh ... I really appreciate you letting me-"

"Hush," she answers. Resting her hand between his shoulder blades, she points up the stairs. "It's the third door on the left."

"Right," Gale calls from under the pile of Hawthorne boy limbs.

Hazelle scoffs and rests her hand on her forehead. "Oh that's right. Left is where Katniss and Prim are sleeping. Aisley is out of town this weekend so the girls are staying with us. Third door on the right."

Peeta nods stiffly, trying not to let Hazelle's nonchalant announcement register on his face. The Everdeens are the Hawthornes' cousins, just as much a part of their family as he was at this point. Prim is Rory's age and Katniss...well Katniss is only a year or two younger than him and Gale and is the first, and only, girl he fell in love with. They were just kids when they met the first time but it was enough to plant the seed in Peeta's mind. In high school, she tooled around with them whenever she could, since she wasn't very social on her own. It annoyed Gale to have his cousin around all the time, but Peeta loved it. He took her under his wing and would fiercely defend her whenever he could. He tried not to let it show how bothered he was when strangers would assume she was dating Gale. Or when she would go out on dates with other losers from their year. Or when she laughed at him asking if she was going to prom his senior year. She'd always tell him he was basically her cousin as well, only less annoying. He knew that it didn't matter how much he wanted her, she didn't want him back.

During his and Gale's graduation party, she showed up in an orange sundress, with her normally braided raven-black hair down in soft waves around her shoulders. If it was possible for his heart to grow and break at the same time, it did. She hugged him harder than she ever had before, refusing to let go until she absolutely had to. And he could have sworn he saw tears glistening in her eyes when she finally told him "good luck" and ran off.

And here, on his first trip home after moving to school early, he's with her again. Just his luck. He hitches his bags back onto his shoulders and slowly begins the trek upstairs, closer to her. Peeta pauses at the third door on the left. It's slightly ajar and he pauses, contemplating if he should peak in on her. _Just to say hi_, he tells himself. They're friends, right? Or at least friendly. He pushes the door just a touch and finds her, alone, napping on the air mattress on the floor. No doubt she's giving Prim access to the more comfortable twin bed. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps, the hard scowl she often wears replaced by a relaxed face that is breathtakingly beautiful. She looks younger, less worn and bogged down by the responsibilities she's taken on herself.

He leans his head against the door and watches her for a few moments, wanting so much to lay down beside her and wrap her in his arms. He shakes that visual as quickly as it comes. It'll never happen and all it does is hurt him more every time he wishes that's what she'd want as well. With a sigh, he turns and enters the opposite room, which already looks like a tornado ripped through it. Gale is definitely the guy who makes himself at home anywhere he goes. Peeta was thankful when he moved onto campus two months before Gale did, just so he could have a clean space for a while. Once classes started, Peeta was lucky to see the floor on Gale's side of the dorm.

Peeta slips his bags onto the spare twin-sized mattress and slumps down next to them. He fishes his phone from his pocket, checking the text messages he got while driving. One from his brother about a party after the football game. One from his dad with the same instructions as always. _Text when you get in, Peet. _A few random ones from college friends asking what he was up to this weekend. Nothing was too urgent, save the one from his dad, so he types a short reply and tosses his phone onto his duffle. He leans back against the pillow Hazelle has provided for him and wonders if he'll have enough time for a nap before Gale needs more rescuing from the siblings.

He's not sure how long he's been out, as the dull roar from downstairs is about the same as it was when he came upstairs. The slight fuzziness of his brain tells him he most definitely fell asleep, but not for long enough. He rubs his eyes and stretches his arms to get the feeling back into them. He steps outside of his room and heads toward the stairs when he hears it. At least, he thinks he hears something; his brain is still groggy and he's nearly 90% sure he's hallucinating. Because there's no way he heard what he thought he heard.

"Uhh."

Oh. No, that was definitely it. Again. Coming from Katniss' room. He crosses the hallway and peaks back in, his mouth dropping. The blankets are kicked clear off of her, exposing her entire body; the tank top that clings tightly to her lithe frame, the white lace boy shorts that he can't tear his eyes from. He pushes the door open about a half an inch further, freezing when the hinge lets out a squeak. _Fuck. _He squeezes his eyes closed and sends up a prayer that she won't wake up and see him.

But Katniss is no longer sleeping. Her eyes may be closed, but her movements are too deliberate to be acting out a dream, and a knowing smirk is playing on her lips. _Shit_. He swears the entire house - including Katniss - can hear his heart racing, and that she's going to open her eyes and catch him. But her eyes remain closed and he allows himself to exhale softly. Her hands roam her body, starting at her hips and sliding up her sides. She cups her breasts and caresses her throat. She tangles her fingers in her hair, then releases them and lets them slip back down again. He watches as her body slinks and rounds, following the motion of her touch.

He knows he shouldn't be standing there watching her. This is clearly a private moment that she means to spend just by herself and with no onlookers, especially her cousin's best friend who, according to her, was just as much a cousin. Just remembering that make watching feel infinitely more wrong, but he can't look away. There she is, just lying there. But so obviously not just lying there. Her fingers roam over her body as her hips continue their dance. He feels the familiar fire building in the pit of his stomach.

He's thought of her like this before. Many times, even if he had given up hope of ever seeing her like this. Not that he ever imagined he'd see her like this. Lying in bed and waiting for him. He could easily convince himself that she was thinking of any other guy, that she was just being an 18 year old girl who figured there wouldn't be anyone else upstairs, but he doesn't want to. He wants this fantasy.

He shouldn't be here. In her doorway. Watching her. Wanting her.

He should walk away; close her door, head back downstairs and forget what he's watching before he sees too much and can't. He knows this. Yet he can't pull himself out of the trance. And, honestly, he doesn't want to forget.

Her disheveled braid surrounds her head like a raven-halo. It may have been cliche, but everything about her was angelic - her olive skin and piercing silver eyes, the way she loved so deeply but never let anyone see, her selflessness and purity. As far as he was concerned, she was some exquisite creature from another world. What she is doing now is not so angelic. Her fingers inch the hem of her tank top further up her body, exposing her toned stomach and a piercing he didn't know she had. He chokes back a groan as she slips the thin garment up and over her breasts. She isn't as well-endowed as some of the girls he had fooled around with in the past, but as far as he's concerned, she's perfect. And there they are, no long hidden under a tank top or sweater or hunting jacket.

This is a problem. There's something wrong with him. He shouldn't be here but it's too late. He watches her play with her breasts, caressing them with her long, slender fingers. She kneads the small mounds, pinching and lightly tugging on her pebbled nipples, letting out moans of pleasure and pain. Her mouth is open, her forehead furrows and her cheeks blush. He watches her thigh muscles flex with her movements. A thin sheen of sweat builds on her forehead as her teeth graze over her bottom lip.

He feels his cock twitch as one of her hands slowly, ever-so-slowly, painfully slowly, dances down her torso to the waistband of those white lacy panties that hug her body. They stay above the fabric, ghosting over her, brushing against her inner-thigh. Like a lover would. Like he would. He imagines those are his fingers touching her smooth skin, massaging her legs, teasing her clit, knowing for certain how wet she is. Because of him. _No. _For him. His dick is aching for a release but he stays frozen, afraid to move and make any noise that may alert her to his presence. Her fingers finally slip under her panties and she lets out a gasp at the contact. His breathing increases and he's certain she can hear him but if she can, she doesn't let on. She's making broad, focused circles over her clit, her spare hand still on her breasts, alternating from one to the other, her whimpers and labored breathing filling the room.

Peeta's attention flits between her left and right hand, listening to her light pants, trying desperately to fight the urge to slip his own hand down his shorts. She finally lets out a frustrated groan and he feels his heart stop. He heard that noise from a high school girlfriend in their "experimental" stage, where it feels good but it's just not enough. He's sure she'll catch him. Yet her eyes remain closed and she lifts both legs into the air, raises her hips just enough, and slides the undergarments completely off.

He deserves a fucking medal for not blowing his load right now.

Both hands are focused on her newly-exposed skin. She runs her nails over her skin, leaving light red marks in their wake. She doesn't leave herself alone for long and is back to rubbing furious circles over her clit. Her free hand slides down and she easily glides one finger deep inside her. She exhales with a high pitched moan and begins to thrust her hips in motion with her fingers. He sees a slight curve in her finger and he can't stop himself anymore. He lets out a deep growl, thankful she's making enough noise to cover him.

"Oh fuck, Peeta!" She moans, as her head falls back against her pillow, the sweat shining off her entire body. "Peeta."

He has never heard his name spoken in that way before. He never imagined he'd hear it out of Katniss' mouth. Like that. Like she is. He thought there was no way she could be interested in him and here she is, chanting his name over and over again, head thrashing to the side, face furrowed in anticipation. Her body rocks off the air mattresses and she comes in almost complete silence. Her mouth is wide open and her throat is strained, but she remains quiet until she comes back down and lets out the most erotic cry he's ever heard. She is still, refusing to move just yet, but he can see her muscles twitching all over her body. She's panting, licking her lips to get moisture back into them, when she finally slides her fingers out of her and rests them against her hip bones. A smile forms on her lips and she lets out a laughing breath. Her eyes flicker open for half a second and he could swear that in that moment, they locked onto his. And it's him who has to turn away, panicking that she may have actually seen him.

Peeta turns and all but runs into the bathroom down the hall, still trying to remain quiet, which has never been a specialty of his. He slams his back against the bathroom door and rips his shorts down to the floor. _Fuck me_. He can't get the image of what he's just seen out of his head and what he'd do if he could. He pictures his lips and tongue roaming her body. Or her mouth around him, looking up at him with those silver eyes that have haunted his dreams for years. He imagines her long legs wrapped around his hips as he thrusts into her. He wants to be the one who makes her whimper and moan. He needs to hear her pant his name like that. "_Oh fuck, Peeta!"_He comes with a groan, having just enough foresight to grab a tissue from the box beforehand.

He slides down to the floor and takes a few deep breaths to regain his composure. "What did you just fucking do?" He asks himself, his head falling to his chest and his hands grabbing at his hair. "What. The fuck. Did you just fucking do?" He crossed a line that he never should have. He had absolutely no right to be standing there watching her. That was Katniss. Gale's cousin. Katniss. _Katniss_.

He pushes himself off the floor and pulls his shorts back up. He splashes some cool water on his face, hoping it'll help clear the red cheeks he always gets after an orgasm. He could easily explain it away to the majority of the Hawthornes, but Gale's his best friend and would catch the tell right away.

"Well look who finally decided to join us," Gale jokes as Peeta makes his way down the stairs. "Good morning starshine."

Peeta's ready with a retort when he hears Katniss answer behind him. "Oh shut your pie-hole, Gale. Maybe I just wanted some time...to myself." She passes by Peeta, who has stopped short on the stairs, and places a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Peeta, it's good to see you," she says in a breathy voice with a half smile.

_Peeta._

He'd be lying if he said his name didn't cause an almost immediate twitch in his shorts, but he shook his head. This was definitely not the place to be letting that out. "Uh, hey, Katniss. How, uh, how are you?"

She cocks an eyebrow and leans against the wall to face him. "Oh, surviving the perils of high school alone since you decided to desert me." She smiles and squeezes his shoulder. "I'm glad you're staying here with us. I've missed you." She says this last part so quietly, he almost doesn't catch it. She glances away from him and goes to the kitchen to help Hazelle.

It's not like he can avoid watching the sway in her hips as she leaves. Or the quick glance back over her shoulder at him, her teeth worrying the edge of her bottom lip. Or that subtle wink. Not now that he knows what she really looks like. Or what sounds came from from that mouth. _Oh fuck. This is going to be a long weekend._

* * *

**AN: **This started out as a Freak Fic Friday for tumblr. But there was some asking for it to be on here so people could find it. Soooo. Here it is. As always, I do not own anything about these characters except this particular scenario. All real thanks goes to Suzanne Collins for introducing us to this world and these people. On a personal note - Thanks to Sunfish for her excellent editing eye and helping get through some of the trickier parts of this little fic.


	2. Chapter 2

Posy is fast asleep in Peeta's arms, her head resting against his shoulder and a small puddle of drool appearing on his shirt. Katniss is holding the pom-poms the cheerleaders gave the youngest Hawthorne child, since Posy nearly left them in the stadium when they got up to leave.

"You two could have gone straight to Rye's party," Katniss says, keeping her voice hushed. "I could have gotten the kids home by myself." She knows Gale is miffed about having to haul his siblings back to the house before heading out to the annual post-homecoming game party. Being one of the few people from his graduating class to get out of this two-star town, she knows it's important for him to not only appear, but to make an appearance. He has a sense of pride knowing he didn't get stuck here when everyone expected him to.

"Don't worry about it, Katniss," Peeta answers, shifting Posy up on his hip without waking her. She had fallen asleep halfway through the fourth quarter and, so far, no amount of 'come from behind' noise had been able to wake her, but none of the older kids wanted to take the risk of a cranky Posy. He glances over at Gale, who is kicking a rock down the road. "It's better to be fashionably late, isn't it, Gale?"

"Sure," Gale mumbles. Katniss and Peeta grin at his temper tantrum, especially when he realizes the other boys aren't around him. "Rory! Vick! Don't get too far ahead!"

"Okay, Gale," the boys answer in unison. They slow down and wait for the rest of the group to catch up with them before running off again in a fit of high energy giggles.

Gale shakes his head and groans. "Hazelle is going to kill me if they don't calm down soon."

"What did you expect when you let them raid the concession stand?" Katniss laughs.

"How the hell was I supposed to know they'd find the cotton candy?!" Gale exclaims, taking off at a dead sprint to catch his younger brothers.

Katniss and Peeta hang back, trying to keep their laughter under control. They knew as soon as Gale gave the boys some money and told them to 'keep themselves occupied' that it would end in disaster. This was confirmed when the boys appeared after halftime with blue stains covering their fingers and lips and more energy than a chihuahua puppy.

"So," Katniss says, "how long are you college boys sticking around for?" She shoves her hands into the warm front pocket of the hoodie she stole from Peeta.

Sometime during the second quarter, Peeta noticed the goosebumps rising over her arms and offered the varsity wrestling hoodie he was wearing to her. He laughed as he did because the self-proclaimed 'girl on fire who was never cold', thought wearing jeans and a t-shirt to a mid-October night game was a good idea. And he knew she'd be too proud to actually say anything about it.

She's swimming in it, and Peeta can feel his own skin screaming in protest as the night wind whips around him, but he knows he'd do it again in a heartbeat. Plus, he figures it'll smell like her once he does eventually get it back. Which, in his mind, is completely worth it.

"I'm driving home Sunday morning," he answers quietly. Posy murmurs and shifts against him but doesn't wake. "I've got some things I need to finish up before my class on Monday morning. But I think Gale is sticking around since his Monday class got cancelled."

Katniss nods, twisting her fingers together in the pocket. "Any fun plans for the rest of your weekend or are you just going to hang around the rugrats until you go home?"

Peeta laughs. "As long as Hazelle doesn't kick me out."

"Are you...going to see your parents at all?" She asks with trepidation. Katniss was not immune to what he went through at the hands of his abusive mother and guilt-ridden father. She was one of the few people he trusted to talk to about it - especially since she forced it out of him once while attempting to patch up a particularly nasty cut on the back of his head.

He snorts. "Not likely. I know my dad wants me to stop by the bakery before I head out Sunday morning, but even that's pretty low on my priority list." He shrugs and shifts Posy to his opposite side. "What about you?"

Katniss bumps his hip with hers. "I was told I'd get to hang out with some college boys this weekend." This gets him to smile and relax. "I don't have any plans, really. I could go to that super lame homecoming dance tomorrow." She wrinkles her nose at the thought, the same way she responded when he asked her about prom last year. "No thank you."

"Peeta!" A female voice calls out to them. "Peeta! Katniss!"

The pair stops and turn their heads as Madge Undersee comes running up to them, still in her varsity cheerleading uniform. Her cheeks are flushed and her breathing is fast. "Sorry," she huffs, resting her hands on her hips and taking a few deep breaths. "I saw you guys leave and I was hoping to catch you before you did." She glances between them and smiles sweetly, "I was surprised to see you at the game."

Peeta is sure she's referring to Katniss' presence, since he and Gale were part of the Senior Viking Crew last year - the group that painted their bare chests blue and gold and helped keep the student section energized for the less-than-stellar athletic department at their high school. Katniss, on the other hand, rarely came to sporting events, and even when she did, she never had a speck of school spirit. The sweatshirt she had on now was likely the most school-related piece of clothing she had ever worn outside of the required gym uniforms from freshman year. Katniss pulls her hands out of the pockets and is playing with the strings of the hoodie while Peeta compliments Madge on the squad.

"Thanks," she grins. "It's been a goal of mine to be captain and make some changes to the group." Katniss snorts at this but stops when Madge shoots her a warning glance. Peeta never really understood their dynamic or how they were ever really friends, especially in moments like this, but he knew they had some strange bond that Katniss just shrugged away whenever he asked. "Are you going to your brother's party tonight?"

"Um, yeah," Peeta answers, glancing over at Katniss, who is biting her lip and keeping her eyes on the ground. "That's the plan after we drop the little ones off."

"Oh!" Madge gasps. "Gosh, I'm sorry, guys, I didn't even see her sleeping there." She lowers her voice. "I hope you both can make it. It'll be nice to catch up." She squeezes Peeta's arm and smiles brightly at Katniss, who is still avoiding her gaze. She turns on her toes and retreats back toward the school, just as Gale comes back, dragging his brothers behind him.

"I think the sugar high is almost over," he announces in relief. In true form, both Vick and Rory appear like they could fall asleep at any second and would be collapsed on the ground if Gale wasn't holding them up. "Was that Undersee?" He asks, squinting behind Katniss and Peeta.

Katniss rolls her eyes. "Yep, coming over to check if Peeta was going to Rye's party."

Peeta hip bumps her. "Stop it, Katniss. She was being nice to both of us."

"She's going to Rye's?" Gale asks in disbelief. "Goody two-shoes, Mayor's daughter is going to engage in underage drinking?" He mocks her, mostly because she never gave into his advances and was always able to keep up with his insults.

Peeta shakes his head. He's aware of Gale's not so hidden crush on Madge Undersee, though he's never been able to tell if he likes her or just wants the girl he's not supposed to have. Either way, through Katniss, he knows that Madge has a bit of a wild streak in her and may go along with it, just to piss 'daddy' off.

"What about you, Everdeen? Care to join in the debauchery?" Gale asks as they make their way to the house.

"You dorealize that both of you idiots are underage, too, right?" Katniss asks in a clipped voice. "But no, I think I'll stay at home. One of us has to run interference with Hazelle."

"Katniss," Peeta starts. He's cut off when her blazing eyes meet his and he knows it's not worth the argument. They're silent for the rest of the walk home. Peeta slips into his shared bedroom to change his shirt and passes Katniss on his way downstairs. They pause, he's on the verge of asking her one last time to go. But she purses her lips and walks past him to her own room. He feels his heart fall in his chest. He knew what happened earlier that day was a fluke - that she didn't really want him. The flirty glance afterward, the light touches, his jokes that she so easily laughed at. He feels like a total idiot for buying into it all. She's a teenager. He's her friend. And that's it.

* * *

The party itself is basically everything Peeta remembers from last year. Small town or not, the post-homingcoming party is one of the biggest parties around, but you can only get in if you're a senior or older. Rye's been hosting the party since his first year out of school and makes it a bigger deal each subsequent year. Peeta is sitting in the driveway with his back against the garage, a full Solo cup of beer in his hand, when he feels a familiar presence next to him.

"Seat taken?"

He looks up into Madge Undersee's baby blues. She's lost the uniform and is dressed more comfortably. Through the transitive property, Madge and Peeta were casual friends his senior year. He chuckles and scoots over a little, indicating that she's welcome to join him.

"The squad looks great, Madge. You really have done a great job with them."

She flushes. "Thanks, Peeta. I know it sounds stupid, being so involved on a cheer squad for a bottom of the barrel school but," she shrugs, "I have to leave my mark somehow, right?"

He rests a hand on her knee. "You'll get out, Madge. If I could, you will."

She shakes her head. "A girl can dream, huh?"

_'Peeta.'_

Peeta blinks as the memory flies back to him. "Um, yeah, I guess."

"So what about you, Peeta?"

_'Peeta. Ah!'_

He quickly chugs the rest of his beer to get her voice out of his head. "I...I need another drink," he announces, rising to his feet. "You want one?"

Madge raises her eyebrows at him and looks down at her still-full cup. "I'm good. But you...you go drink whatever is bothering you away. I'll be here when you get back."

He's not sure how many cups he's had when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. He squints at the screen, rubbing his eyes at the bright light.

**Hey. Since mom's gone - you should crash at my house tonight. Txt me when ur done. -K. **

He feels a heat rise through his body that he can only partially ascribe to the beer. He tries not to let his mind focus on his desire to be alone with her, to make her pant his name again. To make her feel good and see if he lives up to her fantasy. Looking up, he sees Gale across the room, reading something on his phone as well. 'Of course,' he thinks to himself, pouring another cup. Maybe Madge is right. Maybe he does need to drink away whatever - or whomever - is bothering him. Only now the beer tastes like sludge in his mouth and he can't handle the smell of the other party goers. His head pounds with images of Katniss' slender fingers dipping inside her as she cries out his name. He can't help but think about her breasts and what her skin would taste like.

He's a damned fool and could easily be making out with any of the girls here at the party. Girls who want him and make him feel wanted. If he tried, he could even find one with dark hair and quicksilver eyes and he could pretend it was Katniss. But he would know the truth. He dumps the rest of his beer and fills the cup with water, chugging it quickly. He throws the cup into one of the large trash cans, waves bye to his brother, and shoves his way through the throng of people back out into the cool air.

**Hey. Since mom's gone - you should crash at my house tonight. Txt me when ur done. -K. **

He reads the message over and over, internally debating if it was worth the heartache, just to spend the night in the same house at Katniss. Masochist that he is, he turns down the street that leads to the Everdeen home. It's smaller than the Hawthornes' place, about half the size, and it always looks like it could fall apart at any second. Katniss told him once that her dad bought it as a fixer-upper and spent weekends making repairs to the place. When he died, Katniss' mother was too depressed to find anyone to actually fix the house, so it continued to fall into disarray. Despite his offer, Katniss only allowed Peeta to make necessary repairs, and even that was with Prim and her mother begging the eldest Everdeen daughter to allow it.

When Peeta walks up the gravel driveway, all the lights are off except for a dim glow in one room. He considers knocking when he reaches the door - it isthe polite thing to do after all - but finds it unlocked and opts to just enter. Clearly Katniss is expecting him - or him or Gale at least. "Katniss?" He calls, crossing the threshold into the house.

He hears a clatter from Katniss' room down the hall. "Shit," she hisses. "Peeta? Is that you?"

"Yeah," he answers, making his way toward her room. He pushes open the rickety door and finds her sprawled across her bed on her stomach, her head dipped between the bed and the wall. "You okay?"

She lifts her head over her shoulder and smiles when she sees him. "Oh, yeah." She scrambles so she's sitting cross-legged on her bed and pats the mattress next to her. "Sit. I was just about to put a movie in."

Peeta sits nervously on the edge of the twin-sized bed that takes up the majority of Katniss' tiny bedroom. She used to share a room with her sister, but a few years ago she decided she needed her own space, so she cleaned out this tiny room and moved her own stuff in. Everything was tightly packed and cramped and couldn't have been comfortable, but she prided herself in finally having a place of her own. "So, uh, how...how was your night?"

"It was fine. Any movie preference?" She crawls to the edge of the bed where a dusty old TV-VCR combo sits, the one she got from the Hawthornes when Gale moved out. He bought it with the money he saved from working over the summer, but when Peeta offered to bring his TV and DVD player to the college dorm, Gale was more than happy to hand it down to his cousin. "Sorry I don't have anything new. Or really all that great, unless you're into Disney movies." She glances back for a second before returning back to the sparse collection.

Peeta gulps. He tries not to let his eyes focus on the shorts she's wearing that ride up on her slender olive legs. or how her ass is so perfectly shaped when she's bent over in that way. He fights the urge to fix the strap of her camisole as it slips off her shoulder. "Uh...yeah, no, Disney is fine. But only if you promise to sing along."

She sticks her tongue out at him. "Fine. But you're singing the boy parts."

He snorts. "You and I both know that's a terrible idea."

"I remember, Scuttle."

He groans. It's a moment he hoped everyone would forget; when he, Katniss, Prim, and all the Hawthornes were watching "The Little Mermaid" and he made the mistake of trying to sing along. Posy giggled and informed him that he sounded like the annoying and off-key seagull in the movie.

"Don't worry," she teases, popping a movie in. Scooting back, she rests her back against the headboard as the FBI warning flashes across the screen. "Your secret is safe with me, Romeo. I won't tell your legion of adoring fans about your flaw."

He quirks an eyebrow and sits back with her. "My legion of adoring fans?"

"Oh yeah," she nods. "You should have heard the girls tittering on about you tonight at the game."

He can't lie, it isan ego boost to know girls are interested in him. If only he could get one particular girl interested in him and he'd be set. He still can't get a read on her. Sitting so close to each other, on her bed, alone, could easily be construed as something two people who are interested in each other do. At the same time, if Gale were here instead of trying to hook up with someone at the party, he'd be sprawled across the foot of the bed and they'd just be friends. Maybe this wasn't intimate. Maybe she wasjust a friend.

A friend whose hand is resting dangerously close to his leg. A friend who, currently, isn't paying attention to the movie because her eyes can't look away from him. He sees this from the corner of his eye. He clears his throat, his mouth suddenly uncomfortably dry. "So, uh, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Any, uh, any boys tittering over you?"

"Ha," Katniss scoffs.

"What's that noise for? Boys like you. They did last year anyway and you can't have changed that much." He looks over at her and playfully tugs on her braid.

She shrugs, finally breaking eye contact. "I mean, I guess. Madge says boys are interested but not the one I'm interested in. He doesn't really seem to notice me even though I've been trying to drop hints…"

Peeta nudges her foot with his. "Well he's obviously an idiot." He smiles when she looks back over. "Come on, Katniss, you're amazing. You're so motivated and driven and cute and...I mean...it's your senior year. You should just go for it," he ends lamely. Honestly, he doesn't want her to go out with someone else. And if she's acting like this about this guy, he must be pretty important to her. And if that's what makes her happy then ultimately he's okay with that.

"You think I'm cute?" She asks quietly after a moment of silence.

"Of course I do. You know I've always thought you were beautiful," he answers in a rough whisper. The space between them has all but disappeared and he can see every well-known detail of her face. He is always amazed at how the hard angles of her face are complemented by her soft upturned bow lips that he's longed to kiss for years. He sees the way her eyes meet his and feels his chest constrict at this moment.

"You have to say that," she says, in a barely audible voice. "You're Gale's best friend."

He shakes his head. "Nope, I'm not blood, I don't have to say anything. I say it because it's true. And if that boy can't see how special you are then he must not be very smart."

Katniss laughs. "He's very smart. The smartest guy I know actually. He's just…" she shakes her head. "Ugh. No. Tell me about you." She waits for him to respond and gasps when he simply shrugs. "Don't you dare try and tell me that you aren't getting every single girl you want." She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at him but when he shakes his head, her jaw drops. "How is that even possible Peeta? I mean, have you seen you?"

Peeta laughs. "Aww Katniss Everdeen thinks I'm cute. All because I told her she was beautiful."

She slaps his arm. "Shut up, Peeta. You're a total hottie. Plus, you've got that whole Disney

prince personality thing and you are nice to literally everyone. I mean, look, you've got me believing that anyone thinks I'm a catch and that's really saying something."

"You are a catch."

"And no one in their right mind would ever turn you down."

The air between them noticeably shifts. Katniss' fingers brush against his. Her eyes are hooded under her dark eyelashes. Peeta licks his top lip. His Adam's apple bobs in his throat. He opens his mouth to speak again but immediately closes it. He gets lost in her eyes. She pushes a strand of hair behind her ear, letting her fingers linger along her sensitive skin.

He feels the bed shift and her lips pressing against his. He hears her moan slightly at the contact and his hands instinctively reach for her hips. She tilts her head to the right and he mirrors the movement, bringing a hand up to cup her face. Her fingers weave into his hair as she pulls him closer to her. When they pull apart, Katniss' eyes are glassy and a smile plays across her lips. "I just...had to try that."

His voice is caught in his throat. Instead he leans in and kisses her. She squeaks into his mouth, not expecting him to respond quite that way. The kiss is gentle at first but he quickly pulls her flush against him, slipping the tip of his tongue past her lips. Her mouth opens and he kisses her harder. She clutches as him, hand gripping his curls and he absorbs it. Welcomes it. This is his fantasy and he'd be damned if he was going to stop any of this. She pulls his bottom lip with her teeth. He sucks on her tongue when it slides into his mouth.

He rolls them both so he's on his back and relishes the extra weight on him. Her knees fall to either side of his hips, straddling his body. His hands rest on each side of her face, his thumbs brushing against her cheeks as they continue to kiss. She rocks her body against his and he can feel her erect nipples pressing against his chest through her tanktop. Her hips grind slowly against his and he can feel his jeans tighten. She lets out little whimpers and he can feel her smiling against him.

He feels a slight pull from her leg and hooks his around her, flipping them so he's on top. His years of wrestling coming in handy as he pins her body underneath him. She lets out a breathy laugh but raises her hips against his and leans up to capture his lips again. His hands drop down to her waist and when she lifts up into him, he cups her ass. He scrunches the light fabric of her shorts in his hands, causing them to creep higher and higher up her legs. He thrusts himself against her, loving the sighs and moans she's making. Her hands gliding through his hair down to grip his shoulders. Every so often, he rests his forehead against hers and she can't stop the grin that has spread across her face.

His fingers drift up her legs and under her shorts. He feels the lacy material under his fingers and releases her lips. He moves his head down to get a better view and feels his eyes widen at what he sees. White. Lacy. Boy shorts. The same ones she was wearing earlier. When she…

She lets out a chuckle. When he glances up, she smirks. "I told you I was dropping hints."

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew. You don't exactly have a hunter's tread." She reaches up for his face. "Is that okay?"

Peeta smiles and dips down to kiss her again. He's sure, in this very moment, that he's dreaming. It feels too perfect - the girl he's been pining after for years is here, underneath him, kissing him with such enthusiasm, wanting him as much as he wants her. Grinding against him, matching the rhythm of his hips. He is filled with a new-found gusto; his lips exploring the skin he's been dreaming about, finding the pressure points that make her mewl in pleasure. Once he finds them, he pays extra attention to them - the skin right behind her ear, the space on her chest where her collarbones met and dipped, the top of her breasts. His hands grope every inch of her, sliding up and down her ribs, sneaking under the soft fabric of her tank top to her stomach, just below her breasts.

Her hands are scratching at the skin between his shirt and jeans, pulling on the loops to feel even more of him. She makes quick work of the button, pushing them down over his hips. At the same time, he slips her tank top completely up to her neck, attaching his lips to her breasts, sucking and biting at the small dusky nipples he saw just earlier that day. Her hand slides under his boxers and wraps around his length. He lets out a low groan at the contact and swears he can hear her chuckle at his reaction. He thrusts his hips into her hand, unable to control his urges. This is better than any dream he ever had, because he knows it's true. He is here. In Katniss' bed.

She releases him just long enough to pull her top completely off. She tosses it off the side of the bed and he hears the distinct sound of glass hitting floor. He lifts himself up on his arms and furrows his eyebrows. "What was that?"

Katniss, for her part, tries to keep her cool. "Nothing. Nothing important." She reaches for him to bring him down into a kiss but he fights it.

"Seriously, Katniss. What is that?" He shifts away and leans over the side of the bed, lifting her tank top off the floor and finding a clear glass bottle underneath. He turns it over, reading the label. _Smirnoff_. He brings it up with him and watches her eyes widen. "Why is this in your room, Katniss?"

She worries her lower lip and turns her head to the side, mumbling something into her pillow.

"Katniss?"

"I just…" she lets out a long sigh. "Madge said that the first time sometimes hurts and I thought maybe if I had something to drink then I wouldn't feel the pain but I could still enjoy it and then you got here before I had time to put it away and…" she says in one breath.

"First time?" He asks slowly, the realization dawning on him. The first time. "Katniss, I'm...we're not going to have sex tonight."

She frowns, anger flashing across her features. "Why not? I want you. You want me. You very clearly saw me get off thinking about you so why wouldn't you want to fuck me?" She reaches for her tank top and slips it back on.

He grabs her arm. "Stop it. You know why. You've been drinking. I've been drinking. This," he indicates between them, "has been beyond my wildest dreams. But you deserve so much better for your first time." He cups her face gently and leans down to plant a gently kiss to her lips. "You deserve a real date before." He kisses her cheek. "To be wined and dined." He kisses her shoulder. "To be taken completely care of." He comes back up to her face, his lips just barely leaving her skin. "Believe me, Katniss, when that time comes, if you still want me, I will make that that moment a good one for you." He once again kisses her, their tongues battling for dominance inside her mouth. "But that moment is not tonight."

"You still want…"

He smirks and pulls her shorts down, leaving her panties in place. He does the same to his boxers, his cock painfully hard. He kisses her again, alternating between her lips and her neck and begins to thrust his hips against hers, his erection sliding along the top of her panties. She lets out small pants as he rubs against her swollen and needy clit. They continue at a feverish pace, the rough lace and knowledge of how _close_he is to being buried deep inside her is almost more than he can handle. Her legs wrap around his hips, pulling him closer...closer...closer to her.

"Please," she exhales. "Yes." Her breath hitches on the inhale and her head falls back into her pillow. He sucks on the exposed skin, nipping with his teeth. His pace quickens, his leg muscles are taut as he thrusts against her. What he would give to throw away the shred of sanity he has left - the one who told her he'd wait to sleep with her.

"Say my name," he murmurs in her ear. "I want to hear you say my name." She's writhing below him, her head thrashing in that so familiar way.

"Fuck, Peeta!"

There it is. Just like before. Over and over she pants his name, crying out louder with each thrust of his hips. "Katniss, I'm…"

Her hips lift in the air and her body convulses. Her mouth is open wide but not a single noise can be heard. Her legs tightened around him and he could swear he could see her skin pulsing from the inside. She was beautiful this afternoon, coming undone under her own volition. But this - knowing the actual, real role he is playing - he can safely say she's never been more desirable.

He reaches down and tugs her shirt up past her breasts. He pulls his dick away from her and pumps his hardened cock. He loses it completely when her hand wraps around him and runs along his length. "Tighter," he grunts and she responds by tightening her hold. It only takes a few minutes and he's gritting his teeth, releasing the air in his chest with a low growl, coming over her naked torso. "Fuck," he breathes, his muscles nearly giving out entirely. He falls to his side and lets out moan when Katniss runs her finger over her chest then into her mouth. "Want me to get you a towel?"

She chuckles. "Is that the protocol for this sort of thing?"

He kisses her and slips into his boxers, padding into the Everdeen bathroom. He sees his reflection in the dark mirror and shakes his head. Flushed cheeks, well-kissed lips, disheveled hair. He'd willingly look like this everyday if it meant he got to experience _this_over and over. He found Katniss still on her back, her head resting against her pillow, serenity filling her face. He crawls over to her and begins cleaning her up, waiting to clean himself. "I'll take this home to wash it. So...you know...your mom doesn't wonder."

Katniss laughs and a long yawn escapes her. "Oof. You sure know how to wear a girl out, Peeta Mellark." She slides her tanktop back down over her body and slips underneath the blankets. "Want to finish the movie then go to bed?"

Peeta glances at the TV, having totally forgotten she even put a movie in, since they never actually watched any of it. He looks back at Katniss, who is snuggled on her side under the blankets, that unusually shy smile having reappeared. "Of course." He joins her under the covers and pulls her body against hers. She reaches over to pull his top arm completely around her stomach and interlocks their fingers.

"Thank you," she says quietly, giving his hand a squeeze.

He squeezes back but doesn't say anything. He's not entirely sure what she's thanking him for but he knows that she knows the feeling is completely mutual. "Hey, Katniss?"

"Yeah?"

"Madge isn't a virgin?"

She turns her head so she can see him. "Really? That's what you took out of that conversation?"

He laughs and leans down to plant a sweet kiss on her lips. They fall asleep that way, curled up in one another, their bodies perfectly aligned. Her hair covers part of his face. His breath tickles the back of her neck. And they sleep peacefully through the night until the morning sun peaks through the patchwork curtains.

* * *

Peeta hears someone entering the house before Katniss does. At first, he doesn't think anything of the noise, assuming it's Prim or Katniss' mom home early. But the footsteps, though not loud, are too heavy to be owned by one of the Everdeen women. "Shit!" he hisses, looking down at Katniss, who is still sleeping soundly in his arms. "Katniss!" He shakes her awake just as Gale storms through her door, wearing the same clothes he had on last night.

"Mellark!" he barks, a goofy grin on his face. "I figured you'd wind up here!"

"W-w-what do you mean?" Peeta asks, his eyes wide and shifting between his best friend and his best friend's cousin, who is trying to pretend like she's still asleep though he can very clearly tell she's not.

"Catnip is always looking out for me when I've been drinking. Hazelle doesn't really approve of it," he says this in quotation marks because both boys know that Hazelle doesn't care but if either of them had woken up any of the kids, she'd have never let them hear the end of it. "And given how you were pounding those beers back last night, I knew you'd wind up in the 'safe house'." He sits on the edge of the bed, fully waking Katniss. "Heya, Catnip. We missed you last night at the party."

"I'm sure," she mumbles, turning over so her face is directly in Peeta's chest. "Why are you here?"

Peeta tries to ignore the goosebumps that form over his body from where her lips hovered.

"Well I, for one, had an excellent night last night with a young lady and wanted to celebrate this morning at Sae's." He glances at Peeta. "You game?"

Peeta's stomach grumbled as if on cue. Sae's was a greasy old diner that the trio used to visit Sunday mornings before Peeta's shift at the bakery and Gale and Katniss' hunting trips into the woods. He looks down at Katniss, who glances up at him with eyes that made him want to just stay in bed with her all morning. He was quickly losing any semblance of self control with this one. "Um, yeah. I'm game. Nothing like a greasy breakfast." He nudges Katniss' foot with his own, a silent indicator to her but she pulled hers away.

"Sure," she says. "But you need to get out so I can get dressed."

"Gross, Catnip," Gale teases. "I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

Once Gale leaves, Peeta disentangles his limbs from hers and slips out of bed. He quickly dressed and leans down to kiss her again, but she turns her head to the side so he only gets her cheek. "Last night was…"

"Fun," she finished. "Yeah. Fun. Go downstairs and wait with Gale or he'll start to suspect something." Her sudden demeanor isn't lost on Peeta. And he has to wonder if last night had more to do with the alcohol than anything else. She refuses to even look at him now. A switch occurred sometime between last night and this morning and Peeta feels his stomach drop.

He silently makes his way downstairs. Running his hand over the back of his neck, he tells Gale he's going to head back to campus today instead. "Too much homework" is his excuse. Whether Gale buys it or not isn't his concern anymore. This was too much, he felt too used and heartbroken.

After breakfast, he tosses his duffel bag back into his car, giving Hazelle a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. He scoops Posy up in a big bear hug, tickling her sides until she's out of breath. He waves to the other boys and gives Gale a slap on the back. Katniss stands behind the group, watching them but making no move toward Peeta. His eyes stay fixated on hers until he can no longer stand it and he gets into his car.

A mile down the road, he pulls over and lets out long breath. His head is spinning and he tries to regain his sense of self. He'd been heartbroken before - by this same girl - he tells himself. He survives it each time. Last night was no different. It was two teenagers controlled by their hormones. At least he had the sense at the time not to do more with her. To not give in entirely. As he turns his ignition back in, he sees a figure running toward him. Katniss. He rolls down his window and leans out when she finally makes it up to his car.

"I'm sorry," she says, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry about what happened."

He sets his jaw. "It's fine, Katniss. Just forget about it."

"No!" She cries. "No I can't just forget about it. You mean too much to me to just forget it." She leans into the window and kisses him, dragging her fingernails against his scalp. "Just...don't forget about me with all those college girls, 'k?" With a grin, she turns and runs back toward the house.

_Yeah. Like I could forget about you, _he thinks, letting his fingertips rest on his lips, which still tingle from where they were connected with hers.

* * *

**AN**: Chapter 2 was already written, so I figured - why wait to post it? Special thanks to sunfish and walloston for their help with this chapter!

Come visit my on tumblr at mitchesbcray and see some other stuff I write that won't be posted on here for...reasons ;)


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